The male's abdomen is brownish and its wings appear faintly brown and clouded.

[3][4][5][6] E. livida lives in hedgerows, feeding on the nectar of several species of Rosaceae, several species of Asteraceae, and Heracleum sphondylium nectar; they also feed on other insects.

They live all across temperate and Northern Europe, the only species with such a wide distribution.

[3][6] E. livida larvae are also carnivorous and live in damp soil and leaf litter.

This article related to members of the fly superfamily Empidoidea is a stub.